Many summer teen movies that take place on the beach have the iconic campfire-on-the-beach scene. Nothing says youth and fun quite like hanging out around at night and listening to the waves and fire sounds mixing together.
If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Two things people love are the beach and sitting around a campfire. Combining it can only make it better, right?
Right! But only if you do it the right way. Read on to learn about how you do it and if you’re even allowed to.
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HOW TO MAKE A CAMPFIRE ON THE BEACH?
Normally campfires on a beach are referred to as bonfires. There’s not any difference other than the name. And it’s not a lot different from how you build a normal fire.
To build any fire, make sure you have tinder, kindling, fuel, and a firestarter. For more info on that, read about how to make fire.
Once you have those things, follow these easy steps.
1) PICK A SITE
Make sure the place you pick to build a fire even allows fires on the beach (more on that below). In general, if there’s a fire ring available, use that.
If it’s private property or there aren’t any location restrictions, you have some more freedom in choosing where you want to build the fire. Make sure the pit is above where the water comes up to for high tide. You can check this by studying the ground; you can usually see a line of debris or salt that gathers where high tide is.
Another thing you need to consider is how close you are to other flammable hazards. The grass and plants near water tend to be lighter and quicker to catch if sparks float over to it. Make sure you give your fire plenty of distance to nearby hazards.
2) PREPARE THE FIRE PIT
If you found a fire ring or pit to use that was already there, you can use that. Make sure to even out any debris that’s already in there before you start your fire.
It’s easy to make your own firepit if one isn’t already there, though, so don’t worry. Dig a circle about three feet across and a few inches deep. This is great because the depth gives some protection from the wind and the wet sand in the lower layers prevent the fire from spreading.
You may also want to add a ring of stone and rock around the firepit. This helps keep blowing debris away, and it also helps stop people from accidentally stepping on a hot coal.
If you plan on having fires on your own beach (or even in your background), you may want to consider having a fire ring to use. My mom has this one which you look at on Amazon, and it’s easy to put in and out when you need it. Click to check it’s current price.
3) GATHER MATERIALS
You need to have enough of the right kinds of wood (as mentioned in the article above). Real quick, though, you need tinder, kindling, and fuel.
Tinder – Small, thin, and dry branches or grass that lights quick and hot.
Kindling – Branches that take a little longer to start on fire and burn a little longer. Get a good amount that ranges from the thickness of a pencil to that of your thumb.
Fuel – Logs and pieces of wood from the size of your forearm and up. These take a while to start, but once they do, they last a long time and produce a lot of heat. They turn into hot coals over time which is great for cooking on.
On the beach, it shouldn’t be too hard to find some of these things. Wood tends to gather on the beach all the time. Make sure what you use is as dry as possible.
4) LIGHT THE FIRE
Here you need to start the fire. For more details check out the how to make fire for camping article. It goes over the principles in detail. For quick advice, read on.
Arrange the smallest kindling in a tipi shape. Put the tinder in the center of the tipi. Try to keep the kindling as close as you can to the tinder.
Light the tinder with whatever you’re using as a firestarter (matches, lighter, etc). Once the tinder starts, the kindling should begin to light up as well. Add the larger kindling until you have a good flame.
Add the small fuel logs over the flame. Keep adding kindling until the fuel is going nice and strong. Keep adding fuel gradually to get your fire going.
5) CLEAN IT UP
At a beach, if you aren’t using a fire ring, you have one more huge responsibility: clean up the spot and make it look as if you were never there. It’s not like you’re hiding your bonfire, but people going to a beach don’t want to step in it accidentally or look at it while they’re enjoying the sunshine.
Pour water on the fire until it’s cool to touch. Bury the leftover (not the trash) in the sand and put the rocks back where you found them. If it looks like you were never there, then you’re good to go.
Congrats on enjoying your beach campfire!
CAN YOU HAVE A CAMPFIRE ON THE BEACH?
If the beach is part of private property, you’re free to have a fire (unless there are state or local burn laws that prohibit it under certain conditions). Remember to keep our advice for picking a site (see above) in mind when you decide where to put your fire. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you don’t also have a responsibility to be safe.
At public beaches and parks, that’s a tough question to answer. In general, if the beach has fire rings or pits already there, it is allowed. If you don’t see one around but you also don’t see any sign specifically prohibiting it, it’s always better to check.
Pro-tip: Talk to your local fire or police station about what is allowed and not allowed. By checking, you’re avoiding any potential legal troubles.
CONCLUSION
Campfires on the beach can be a great way to spend time with your friends at night. As long as you’re safe and allowed to do it, having one is a blast.
The same techniques work for beach bonfires as they do for all campfires. Just remember to pick the safest site and clean up everything when you’re done.
Now get out there and enjoy the fresh air!
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also enjoy how to start a fire without a lighter.